Ball Screen Reads

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This drill is a great drill to work on different ball screen reads. Players get reps attacking common ball screen coverages. They learn the ball handling and footwork combinations that work against each coverage, giving them comfort and confidence in games. You need 2 chairs (1 to be a defender, and 1 to be screen) (Diagram 1) Line players up at half court on the sideline. Each player has a ball. 1 dribbles below the screen to set their player up. 1 attacks off the screen and shoots a jumper or layup. 2 goes when 1 clears the screen. (Diagram 2) Once again 1 will dribble below the screen to set up the ball screen. We now pretend the on ball defender cheats towards the screen. 1 fakes like they are using the screen but then attacks back towards the baseline. In this scenario you will simulate a hedge (hence the 2nd chair). 1 dribbles below the screen to set up the defender. 1 then uses the screen and drags the hedger wide towards the center of the court. 1 should use a change of pace to get by the hedger (generally a big). 1 shoot a jumper or a layup. (Diagram 3) (Diagram 4) This is a 2nd hedge scenario. After setting up their defender, 1 comes off the screen. We assume there is a gap between the screen and the hedger. 1 fakes over the top before splitting the chairs. 1 should push the ball out to create space for a layup. Perform each scenario 4-6x on each side. Add in guided defense to force 1 to make a read based on how the screen is defended. Vary the types of shots & finishes players take in the drill. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Full Court 1v1

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A pressure ball-handling series with two live variations. In the first, a defender presses the ball handler the length of the floor; if the offense beats them before a marked line, they pause and let the defender recover before continuing live. In the second, the same setup plays fully live with no pause once the offense gets past the defender, and the space is narrowed to make the defense's job more realistic. Both variations restrict players to one side of the floor (using cones) so two pairs can run the drill in opposite directions at once. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Narrow Lane 1v1 (Weak Hand)

Video by BreakthroughBBall

A constrained version of full-court 1-on-1: the ball handler is only allowed to dribble with their off hand the entire way up the floor (though they can finish with their strong hand at the rim), with the defense scoring a point if that rule is broken. Deliberately uncomfortable by design — it forces players to develop real weak-hand control under pressure instead of only using it when convenient. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.

Ball Security (1v1 Face Up)

Video by BreakthroughBBall

The coach passes to a player who catches, comes to a quick stop, and immediately faces up into a strong, low stance to protect the ball while a defender closes in tight. Coaches watch for two things: no travel off the catch (the pivot foot can't move once it's set) and catching further out, around the three-point line, so the player is already in scoring range rather than backed into a corner. This drill comes from BreakthroughBBall.